Door closer



March 6, 1951 v M, CARLSON v 2,544,252

DOOR CLOSER Filed April 29, 1949 ffy! IN V EN TOR.

Wal/ffm Garlsofz,

s n w/@M f ZZ Patented Maur. 6, 1951 DOOR CLOSER Martin Carlson, Brookfield, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to George W. Houlsby, Jr.,

Chicago, Ill.

Application April 29, 1949, Serial No. 90,530

7 Claims. (Cl. 16-55) This invention relates to improvements in door closers.

One object of the invention is to provide a door closer structure that can be adjusted" relative to a cement casing in which the structure is located to enable the door operating shaft or pin of the structure to be shifted longitudinally and transversely of the casing for procuring desired alignment of the door with respect to the door opening as well as with respect to the axis of an upper pivot pin at the top of the door.

A further object of the invention is to provide a door closer mechanism that is adapted to be mounted within a cement casing for movement therein for adjusting the pivot pin off the mechafnism in longitudinal and transverse directions for alignment purposes, the adjusting means being accessible for operation after the door has been hung, as well as prior to the hanging of the door.

Another object of the invention is to provide a supportingplate for a door closer mechanism that is adapted for attachment to a cement casing and which can be adjusted witlr respect to the horizontal for altering the angle of a normally vertical door operating pin in compensation for inaccurate initial position of the cement casing in a iioor structure, as well as the rlater changes in the position of the casing or for sagging of the door, for example. f

Other objects of the invention relate to various features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings, which disclose a structure that is illustrative of the present improvements:

In the drawing,

Figure l is a top plan view with parts broken away illustrating the improved door closer in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a broken sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on a similar enlarged scale taken on line 4 4 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. l.

The door closer mechanism illustrated in the drawings is of a type which is adapted to be located Within a cement casing, whichl itself is adapted to be located in the floor structure and held in place by the surrounding V`cement of the floor structure. The casing, indicatedY generally by the numeral III, generally is made of cast iron and is provided with a perimetrical ange II providing a horizontal shoulder I2 which extends around the upper edge of the casing. The top of the ange I I is adapted to be seated ush, or approximately iush, with the floor structure, the casing being held in position by the surrounding cement I3, as shown in Figs. l and 2. The bottom of the casing is provided with one or more drain openings I4 which permits water which may find its way into the casing to seep from the casing.

The door operating mechanism is not, per se, a part of the present improvements. The mechanism of the type mentioned comprises an operating pin or shaft I5 which extends normally in a vertical direction through a top plate I6 and is adapted to be turned by the swinging of the associated door in a direction to store up energy in springsor the like, forming a part of the door operating mechanism. The springs tend to return the door to the closed position.

lThe springs and associated mechanism, in the present structure are supported by the plate I6` and are enclosed by a sheet metal housing Il which is secured to the lower surface of the plate. The housing I'I is spaced at its'sides, ends. and bottom from the adjacent walls of the cement casing I0.

When the casing is set in the cement initially, the upper edge thereof is intended to be located substantially in the plane of the floor and in a horizontal position. The plate I6 is designedto rest upon and be supported by the perimetrical shoulder I2. The plate is secured to the casing by screws I8, four being shown. The heads of the screws seat in counter-bores I9 provided in the plate, while the shank of the screws pass through openings 20, somewhat larger in diameter than the shanks of the screws. The screws are received in threaded openings 2I provided in the cement casing I6, as shown in Fig. 5. The provision of openings 20 with a diameter somewhat larger than the Shanks of the screws, enfables the plate IG'to be adjusted in horizontal directions, thatis longitudinally and transversely on the shoulders I2 of the casing, the plate being of sufficiently small dimensions to permit such adjustment.'

For the purpose of eifecting transverse adjustment of the plate for shifting the axis of the pin I5 in a corresponding direction, the plate is provided with two opposed adjusting screws 22 which are threaded into horizontal recesses provided in theplate, as shown in Figs. l and 2. The screws22are providedwithgheads 23, shown as being hexagonal, which are adapted to abut the adjacent vertical walls of the flange or rim I I of the casing, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It will be seen that by adjustment of the screws 22 by screwing one inwardly of the plate and the other outwardly, the plate will be shifted transversely of the casing, thus shifting the axis of the pin I2 in a corresponding direction. A recess 3'I is provided in each longitudinal edge of the plate adjacent each screw 22 to accommodate the head of the respective screw, if necesary, as the plate is shifted towards the flange portion adjacent which the head of the screw abuts.

For the purpose of shifting the plate I6 longitudinally, an adjusting screw 2li is provided at i one end of the plate. The screw 24 is provided with a wrench-engageable member 25 of hexagonal form in the embodiment shown, and a head 26 spaced from the member 25 by a nec'k 2'! of reduced diameter. The flange I I at the righthand Aend of the casing, as shown in Fig. '1, is provided with a re-entrant portion providing a recess 23 for receiving the head 25, and an open channel 29 of smaller dimension for receiving the neck 2l. By use of a wrench, or the like, the member `25 `can be engaged and the screw turned with reference to the plate I6 for shifting the latter longitudinally of the casing, and thus shifting the vaxis of the pin I2 in a corresponding direction. In making adjustments, it may sometimes be necessary to adjust not only the screws '22 but the screw '24 as well. `Where the screws 22 .only are adjusted -for shifting the axis of the pin, the

slight angular movement of the screw 2li that is thus produced is accommodated by the recess v28 and the slot 29 vthat receives the neck 2l. When the casing I is initially positioned in the iioor structure and embedded in concrete, a strip of material, such as card board, tape or other appropriate strip of material is placed across the re-entrant portion to exclude freshly poured concrete from the lrecess 23.

In Fig. 1, a door 39 is shown fragmentarily in the normally closed position, the door being of the single acting type that swings to one side only of the door opening. In so swinging, the door carries with it an arm 3I which is attached in a groove in the lower edge of the `door and which arm is secured to the pin I for effecting the turning of the pin on a vertical axis and storing energy in the door closer mechanism, above referred to, which is .contained within the housing I1. At the upper end of the door in vertical alignment with the pin I5 is a hinge member that cooperates with the mechanism above described for supporting the door.

Itis desirable that the axis of the pin I5 coincide with the axis of the upper hinge member, and the adjustment above described permits the plate I6, which carrie s the door operating mechanism, including the pin I5, to be shifted, as described, with reference to the permanently anchored cement casing I0 for effecting adjustments of the door, such as in aligning the door with respect to a desired vertical 'plane or in adjusting the vertical edges of the door `with reference to the corresponding portions of the framework of the door opening, or with reference to another door where the invention is used in connection with a double door structure.

In the event the cement casing IEI is not located in a strictly horizontal position, or in the event after the door is hung, due to settling of the building or to other causes, the casing is slightly displaced from the horizontal, the plate 4 I 6 can be adjusted with reference to the horizontal plane to bring it into a desired position. For this purpose, the plate IG is provided with threaded openings 32, four being shown, for receiving adjusting screws 33, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The screws 33 are adapted to contact the shoulder I2 of the cement casing and lift or tilt the plate with reference Ato the shoulder as may be required in adjusting the plate with reference to the horizontal. For effecting such adjustment, the screws I3 must rst be loosened, and after eiecting the desired adjustment of the screws 33, the screws I8 are again tightened to retain the plate in the newly adjusted position.

In Figs. l2 to 5 .of'the drawing, the plate I6 is shown in a slightly raised position out of contact with .the shoulder I2. The arm 3| is shown as comprising a clamp head 34 which secures the arm to the pin I 5, although a key or spline member 35 between the head and pin is relied on to prevent movement of the arm with Yrespect to the pm. l

The above described structure making provision for the adjustment of 'the plate I6 with respect to the cement casing is particularly desirable during the hanging of a door since it is not always possible for workmen to procure the desired substantially precise alignment of the pintle of the hinge structure at the upper end of the door with the pin I5 of the door closer member. Likewise, after a period of use, due to wear of parts or shifting or settling of parts of the building or of the door the position of the pin may require re-adjustment. The adjustments for the purposes vmentioned can vbe effected without removal of the ldoor from its pivotal supports 'by reason of 'the provisions made for adjusting the plate I6 with' respect to the cement casing notwithstanding that normally the plate is secured to the cement casing against displacement by the screws I8.

Normally a finish or dress plate is provided over the top of plate I6 and an ornamental cover or hood is provided on the head 34 for the sake of appearance but these elements are not shown in the drawings.

While I have shown a structure which is illustrative of thepresent improvements, it will be seen that various changes in the precise details thereof may be resorted to Without departure from the spirit of the invention defined by the accompanying claims.l

I claim:

1. In a door closer, a cement casing provided with a perimetrical flange at the upper edge and a horizontal shoulder located inwardly of the iiange for supporting a cover` plate, a cover plate for supporting a door closer mechanism within the casing comprising a door actuating pin extending vertically through said plate for attachment thereto of a door operating arm, said plate being adapted to rest on said shoulder and being of al superficial area and shape to enable the same to be spaced at the edges thereof from said iiange, screws for securing the plate to the casing and permitting `relative adjustment of the plate in transverse and longitudinal directions when loosened, and threaded means cooperating with the plate and flange for shifting the plate in a horizontal plane within the connes of said flange for adjusting the pin relative to the casing.

2. In a door closer, a cement casing provided with a perimetrical iiange at the upper edge and a horizontal shoulder located inwardly of the flange for supporting a cover plate, a cover plate for supporting a door closer mechanism within the casing comprising a door actuating pin extending vertically through said plate for attachment thereto of a do-or operating arm, said plate being adapted for support by said shoulder and being of a superficial area and shape adapting the same to be spaced at the edges thereof from said flange to permit horizontal adjustment of the plate on said shoulder within the confines of the flange for shifting the pin relative to the casing, releasable means for securing the plate to the casing, and cooperating adjusting screws coacting with the plate and said flange for shifting the plate horizontally in different directions when said securing means are released.

3. In a door closer, a cement casing provided with a perimetrical flange at the upper edge and a horizontal shoulder located inwardly of the ange for supporting a cover plate, a cover plate for supporting a door closer mechanism within the casing comprising a door actuating pin extending vertically through said plate for attachment thereto of a door operating arm, said plate being adapted for support by said shoulder and being of a superficial area and shape adapting the same to be spaced at the edges thereof from said flange to permit horizontal adjustment of the plate on said shoulder within the confines of the flange for shifting the pin relative to the casing, means comprising openings in said plate and cooperating screws of less diameter than the respective openings and extending into the casing for securing the cover` in position on the casing and permitting horizontal shifting of the plate when the screws are loosened, and threaded members carried by the plate and adapted for abutting contact with the inner wall -of the flange and operable manually for effecting the adjustment of the plate horizontally within the confines of the flange.

4. In a doel` closer, a cement casing provided with a perimetrical flange at the upper edge and a horizontal shoulder located inwardly of the iiange for supporting a cover plate, a cover plate for supporting a door closer mechanism within the casing comprising a door` actuating pin extending vertically through said plate for attachment thereto of a door operating arm, said plate being adapted for support by said shoulder and being of a superficial area and shape adapting the same to be spaced at the edges thereof from said flange to permit horizontal adjustment of the plate on said shoulder within the confines of the flange for shifting the pin relative to the casing, means comprising openings in said plate and cooperating screws of less diameter than the respective openings and extending into the casing for securing the cover in position on the casing and permitting horizontal shifting of the plate when the screws are loosened, and adjustable screws extending horizontally into the plate at the edge thereof and provided with outer ends adapted to abut the adjacent portion of the inner wall of said flange for retaining the plate in horizontally adjusted position within the conlines of the flange.

5. A door closer comprising a cement casing provided with a perimetrical flange at the upper edge and a horizontal shoulder located inwardly of the ange for supporting a cover plate, a cover plate adapted to support a door closer mechanism within the casing comprising a door operating pin extending vertically through the plate, said plate having a superficial area and shape enabling the same to rest upon the shoulder in spaced relation with respect to said flange, means for adjusting the plate horizontally upon said shoulder within the connesof the flange with the plate Vresting upon said shoulder, and releasable means for securing the plate to the casing.

6. A door closencomprising a cement casing provided with a perimetrical flange at the upper edge and a horizontal shoulder located inwardly of the flange for supporting a cover plate, a cover plate adapted to support a door closer mechanism within the casing comprising a door operating pin extending vertically through the plate, said plate having a superficial area and shape enabling the same to rest upon the shoulder in spaced relation with respect to said flange, and threaded adjusting studs carried by the plate and adapted to be turned into contact with the shoulder for shifting the plate relative to the horizontal for adjusting the pin relative to the vertical.

7. A door closer comprising a cement casing provided with a perimetrical ange at the upper edge and a horizontal shoulder located inwardly of the flange for supporting a cover plate, a cover plate adapted to support a door closer mechanism within the casing comprising a door operating pin extending vertically through the plate, said plate having a superficial area and shape enabling the same to rest upon the shoulder in spaced relation with respect to said flange, means for adjusting the plate horizontally within the confines of said ange and means for adjusting the plate vertically and angularly with respect to the shoulder.

MARTIN CARLSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,120,544 Rosentreter Dec. 8, 1914 1,227,292 Mills May 22, 1917 '1,655,485 Wheelock Jan. 10, 1928 

